Petroglyphs of West Central Wyoming: Crowheart Butte, Crow Creek and Little Dry Creek

Collection Metadata

Title

Petroglyphs of West Central Wyoming: Crowheart Butte, Crow Creek and Little Dry Creek

Subject

New Deal, 1933-1939.; Petroglyphs -- Wyoming.

Description

This collection consists of reports on and descriptions of petroglyphs and pictographs created during the New Deal archaeology that happened across Wyoming during the late 1930s and early 1940s. Ted C. Sowers oversaw these reports as Supervisor for the Archaeological Project of the Works Project Administration. Danny N. Walker, PhD, RPA, Wyoming State Archaeologists' Office, writes in a poster presented at the Society for American Archaeology's 76th Annual Meeting, "As with many other WPA projects, the survey closed with the advent of World War II, but provided a basis for future archaeological research" (2011). The Natrona County Public Library held these reports before they were transferred to the Casper College Library's Special Collections.

Creator

Ted C. Sowers; Works Progress Administration

Is Part Of

Ted C. Sowers Papers and Photographs, SpecColl 01.1941.01 WyCaC US. Casper College Archives and Special Collections.

Identifier

SpecColl 01.1941.01_PoWCW

Collection Items

Western Central Wyoming Plate 20
Plate 20 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Crowheart Butte

An Anthropomorphic representation of two Bird Women. (Hu-chi-wi-ps).

Western Central Wyoming Plate 21
Plate 21 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Crow Creek

An Anthropomorphic panel of three Medicine Men with a symbol to the extreme right. Much of this panel is worn away.

Western Central Wyoming Plate 22
Plate 22 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Crow Creek

Unless a knowledge of brands is acquired, a common mistake can be made in regards to crediting these marks to the Indians. These are of course brand marks.

Western Central Wyoming Plate 23
Plate 23 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Crow Creek

These too are brands.

Western Central Wyoming Plate 24
Plate 24 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Little Dry Creek

A general view of the cliffs upon which were inscribed the pictographs and petroglyphs. It is interesting to note that this was rather holy ground, in that men would…

Western Central Wyoming Plate 25
Plate 25 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Little Dry Creek

Men usually prayed before the Sun Dance to see if conditions were favorable.
These marks represent cat tails, which were a symbol of the Sun Dance.
The marks in the…

Western Central Wyoming Plate 26
Plate 26 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Little Dry Creek

This is also a fasting place.
These marks are either tool grooves or were placed there to mark the passing of time.

Western Central Wyoming Plate 27
Plate 27 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Little Dry Creek

To the left appears a Sun symbol. At the right a feather.

Western Central Wyoming Plate 28
Plate 28 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Little Dry Creek

This is an Anthropomorphic figure of a man. A symbolic sign appears over his head.

Western Central Wyoming Plate 29
Plate 29 from the Western Central Wyoming collection, taken at Little Dry Creek

Another panel of Sun Dance symbols - cat tails. These cat tails were used for the dancers to lie upon.
View all 23 items